To cite a quote inside a quote, use double quotation marks outside, single quotation marks inside, then place your citation after the full quoted passage.
You’ve got a solid source, a clean point to make, and then your passage contains a quote inside it. That shows up in interviews and books. The trick is keeping the reader oriented: who’s speaking, which words came from where, and which source your citation points to.
If you keep asking yourself how do you cite a quote inside a quote?, use mark order, then citation placement.
This guide shows the punctuation pattern for nested quotations and the citation move that keeps your paper honest. You’ll see MLA, APA, and Chicago patterns, plus fixes for block quotes and question marks.
Quick Rules For A Quote Inside A Quote
| Situation | Quotation Mark Pattern | Citation Move |
|---|---|---|
| You quote a line that contains quoted words | Double quotes outside; single quotes for the inner quote | Put the citation after the closing double quote |
| Your source quotes a short phrase, nickname, or slogan | Keep the inner single quotes if they carry meaning | Cite the source you read, not the speaker being quoted |
| You quote dialogue where a speaker repeats someone else | Double quotes for the speaker’s words; single quotes for what they repeat | Cite after the full quoted dialogue |
| You use a block quote that includes a quoted phrase | No outer quotation marks; inner marks remain | Place the citation after the block per your style |
| The inner quote ends with a question mark | Keep the question mark inside the inner quote marks | Keep your citation after the whole quotation |
| You cut words inside the nested quote | Use ellipses and brackets; keep the quote-mark order | Cite after the full quotation |
| You can’t access the original source of the inner quote | Name the original speaker in your sentence | Use a secondary citation format and cite what you read |
| You have more than one level of nesting | Alternate marks level by level | Rewrite if it starts to look like a quote sandwich |
What You’re Citing When Quotes Stack
Start with the rule that keeps you safe in every style: cite the source you actually used. If you read a journal article and it quotes a witness, your in-text citation points to the article. You can still name the witness in your own sentence, but your reference list entry is for the article you held open.
That keeps your citation honest and helps readers find the exact page you saw. If you can’t access the original, use a secondary citation format.
For the punctuation side, most U.S. style guides use the same nesting pattern: double quotation marks for the quote you insert in your text, then single quotation marks for the quote that appears inside that quoted material. The MLA Style Center states this directly and gives an example you can mirror in your own sentence. MLA guidance on quoted material inside quoted material is a fast reference when you need the nesting rule in one place.
How Do You Cite a Quote Inside a Quote? In MLA, APA, And Chicago
The quote marks are the easy part. The citation format changes by style. The sections below give patterns you can copy.
MLA: One Citation After The Whole Quotation
In MLA, you typically place one parenthetical citation after the end of the quotation. If the quoted passage contains an inner quote, you keep that inner quote in single quotation marks. Then you add the author and page reference after the closing double quotation marks.
Example (MLA):
Jacobs writes, “The editor called the essay ‘a clean piece of reporting,’ then asked for one more source” (142).
Notice what you did not do: you did not add a second MLA citation for the editor. You can credit the editor by name in your sentence if the name matters, but the citation points to Jacobs, since Jacobs is the source you used.
APA: Author, Year, Then A Locator For Direct Quotes
APA uses author-date citations. When you quote directly, you add a locator such as a page number. The nested quote is treated as part of the quoted material, so the punctuation stays the same: double outside, single inside.
Example (APA):
Lopez (2022) wrote, “The coach called it ‘a turning point,’ and the team played looser after halftime” (p. 58).
If your quotation becomes long enough for a block quote in APA, you drop the outer quotation marks because the block format already signals quoted text. The inner quotation marks remain in place, since they still show a speaker inside the passage. The APA Style site’s quotation guidance lays out the rules for short quotes, block quotes, and where the citation goes. APA Style quotations guidance is handy when you need a rule on block quotes or citation placement.
Chicago: Same Marking, Two Common Citation Systems
Chicago’s quotation marks follow the same nesting convention in American English: double quotation marks for regular quotations, single quotation marks for quotations within quotations. Where Chicago differs is the citation system. Many classes use notes and bibliography with footnotes. Others use author-date. Either way, your citation comes after the full quoted passage, not after the inner quote.
Example (Chicago, notes):
Harris writes, “She heard the phrase ‘no second chances’ and wrote it down in her notebook.”¹
The footnote then points to Harris. If you use Chicago author-date, you’d place the parenthetical author-date reference after the closing quotation marks instead.
Citing A Quote Inside Another Quote In Essays
Rules are nice, but your grade often rides on readability. A nested quote can be crystal clear or it can feel like a knot. You control that with your lead-in and your choice of what to quote.
Choose The Smallest Slice That Proves Your Point
Ask what you need the quote to do. If you only need a two-word phrase the author put in quotes, keep that phrase and drop the rest. If you need the whole sentence because the phrasing matters, keep the whole sentence, but don’t add extra layers unless they earn their spot.
Name The Speaker Before The Inner Quote
Readers don’t want to play detective. If the quoted author is quoting someone else, name that person near the inner quote. A simple pattern works well:
- Lead-in with the author you read.
- Add a short verb like “writes” or “recalls.”
- Name the person being quoted.
- Then place the inner quote in single quotation marks inside the outer quote.
This keeps your sentence from turning into a long chain of clauses. It also makes your citation feel natural, since the reader already knows which source you’re using.
Block Quotes With Nested Quotes
Block quotes change formatting, not meaning. In a block quote, you usually remove the outer quotation marks that would wrap the entire passage. The inner quotation marks stay because they still signal quoted speech inside the passage. That one choice prevents confusion when a reader scans a long indented block.
When you set up a block quote with a nested quote, run this checklist:
- Use block format only when your style guide calls for it.
- Drop the outer quotation marks around the entire block.
- Keep inner quotation marks and keep the nesting pattern.
- Place the citation after the block in the correct style format.
Punctuation Traps That Make Nested Quotes Look Wrong
Most mistakes are small. They still jump off the page. These are the traps that pop up again and again in student drafts.
Question Marks And Exclamation Points
If the punctuation belongs to the inner quote, keep it inside the inner quotation marks. If your own sentence is the question, place the question mark at the end of your sentence, outside the quotation marks. Read the sentence out loud and listen for which voice is asking the question.
Periods And Commas With Citations
Keep punctuation tied to the voice that owns it. Then follow your style’s citation pattern at the end of the outer quote. If you’re unsure, match a published example from your style guide and stay consistent.
Ellipses And Brackets Inside A Nested Quote
Ellipses show omitted words. Brackets show words you add for grammar or clarity. Keep these marks tight. Don’t use ellipses to change meaning. After edits, re-read the sentence to be sure it still reflects the source.
How To Cite A Quote Inside A Quote Without A Mess
When your draft is moving fast, nested quotes can feel like they slow you down. A short routine keeps you from fighting the punctuation every time.
Step 1: Write The Sentence Without Any Quote Marks
Draft your sentence as plain text first. State who said what in your own words. Once the sentence reads clean, decide where the direct quotation must sit.
Step 2: Add The Outer Quote, Then Add The Inner Quote
Insert your direct quote with double quotation marks. Then locate the inner quoted words and convert them to single quotation marks inside your outer quote. If the source already uses a different style, follow your style guide’s display rules for your paper.
Step 3: Place One Citation After The Full Quoted Passage
In most student writing, you place one citation for the quotation you used. That citation goes at the end of the outer quote. You do not cite the inner quote as if you read it directly unless you actually did.
Step 4: Decide If The Nested Quote Is Worth Keeping
If the sentence looks crowded, you’ve got options. You can paraphrase the outer author’s sentence and keep only the inner quoted phrase. You can split the line into two sentences. You can use a block quote if your style calls for it. You can also paraphrase both layers and cite the source you read.
During revision, it’s normal to ask “how do you cite a quote inside a quote?” again. When that happens, fall back on two checks: alternate the quotation marks, and cite the source you used.
Proof Checklist Before You Submit
This last pass is quick and it catches errors in your draft. Do it once after you finish the draft, then once more after you format your references.
| Check | What To Scan | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Quote mark order | Double outside; single inside | Swap marks and re-read the line |
| Single citation | One citation after the full quotation | Move stray citations to the end |
| Attribution | Reader can tell who said the inner quote | Name the speaker near the inner quote |
| Block quote format | Outer quotation marks removed for block quotes | Indent, then keep inner marks only |
| Question marks | Punctuation belongs to the right voice | Place the mark where the question is |
| Edits | Ellipses and brackets don’t change meaning | Trim less, or paraphrase instead |
| Source trail | Citation matches what you read | Use secondary citation wording when needed |